Controller-handle.



No. 684,332. Patented Oct. 8. 190i. E. A. WILDT.

CONTROLLER HANDLE.v

(Application filed Feb. 27, 1901.)

v 2 sheets-Sheer (No Model.)

manuals vzrzns m. PHOTO-LITNO" ASMVNG u n c No. 684,332. Patented Oct. 8, I90

E A WILOT CONTROLLER HANDLE.

(Application flied Feb. 27, 1901.) (No Iodei.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Whine-5s es UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDYVARD A. VILDT, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO FRANK SILLIMAN, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

CONTROLLER-HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,332, dated October 8, 1901.

Application filed February 27,1901. Serial No. 49,130. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. WILDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controller-Handles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use p the same.

My invention relates to controller-operating mechanism, and has for its object to provide a simple, eifective, and certain locking means for the controller-handle that may be applied to any controller, whereby said handle is locked after each operation in its forward or on position and can'only be advanced another point when the lock is released by a specific act of the motorman.

It is the purpose of my invention to insure a gradual supply of current to the motor to avoid sudden and dangerous shocks to the machine and prevent unnecessary and excessive waste of current in starting the motor.

My invention is illustrated in the accompan'ying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a controllerhaving my operating mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 shows detail views of the locking-yoke. Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of locking-handle. Fig. 5 shows details of the modified locking-yoke.

As illustrated, my invention is adapted to be applied to any of thewell-known types of controllers which have a cylinder rotated on a vertical axis by means of a crank or handle.

In the drawings, A represents the controller-casing, from the top of which projects the end of the commutator-shaft A. Fitted to the end of said shaft is a handle B, provided with a knob 12, which is secured to the shank by means of a hollow stud b passing through the knob and fastened therein by a nut N, which engages the bottom of a recess 11 in said handle. Fitted in the hollow stud b is apush-rod b*, which is provided at its end with a button 71 occupying the recess b and normally projecting a slight distance above the top of the knob b. Pivoted in ears on the handle B is a bell-crank lever O, which passes through a slot in the shank and projects beneath the end of the push-rod N.

A locking-yoke D, comprising a round pin d, having two spaced lugs d (1 formed thereon, is mounted in bearings 12 b on the under side of the handle. A spiral spring d", secured at one end to bearing 1) and at the other to pin d, serves to keep said pin in its retracted position and also to rotate orswing it in its bearings until it is checked by depending detents b and Z) on the handle.

Fixed to the top of the controller by means of brackets E E is a locking-ring E, which is concentric with the shaft A and is positioned below the handle B in such relation thereto that the depending lugs d d of yoke D straddle said ring at all times. The outer and inner peripheraledge of said ring is provided with spaced lugs or projections e e, respectively, which are arranged in alternating relation, so that the lugs e on the outside lie opposite the spaces between contiguous lugs e on the inside of the ring, whereby successive locking-stops are provided for the yoke and handle as said handle is advanced to the successive points in turning on the current. The reverse edge of each lug e e is beveled, as at 00, to permit the yoke D to swing in the bearings and ride freely over the lugs during the reverse movement of the controller-handle in orderthat there maybe no obstruction to the handle Whatever in turning off the current.

The operation of the device described is as follows: The initial step in turning on the current is accomplished by grasping the knob of handle 13 while the latter stands at the oif position adjacent to lug e and rotating said handle until lug d strikes the first stop 6 on the inner edge of ring E, as in Fig. 1. This brings the controller to the first point and applies the first increment of current to the motor. In order to advance the controller to the second point, the motorman must depress push -rod 1), which rocks bell-crank O and forces yoke B inward against the tension of spring d until lug d clears lug e on the ring, when a rotatory motion-of the handle brings the forward lug d of the yoke against the next external lug e on the ring E, which position constitutes the second point. The push-rod is then released, the yoke D is retracted by spring (Z and lug d on the yoke clears lug e on the ring, and the handle may be advanced to the third point, where lug (Z engages the second lug e in the inner edge of ring E, and thereby prevents any further advance of the handle until the push-rod is again operated to slide yoke D inward to disengage said lugs 01 and e. g

The successive-operations involve the same steps and necessitate a forward or backward movement of the yoke D before the handle can be advanced from one point to the next. It will be seen, therefore, that the motorman is forced to apply the current gradually and by the specific increments of the controllerpoints, as it is necessary for him to operate or release the push-rod after each point is reached before he can advance the handle to the next succeeding point.

Provision is made for freely reversing the motion of handle D from any point in advance of the ofi position, inasmuch as the yoke 13 swings freely over the lugs e e on the ring as the handle is retracted to cut oif the current.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. e and 5 the general structural features of the controller-operating means are the same as those heretofore described; but I employ additional locking means between the handle D and the locking-ring E in order to render it impossible to move the handle more than one point at a time. To secure this object, I provide the peripheral faces of the lugs e e on the ringE with ratchet-teeth orserrations .98, respectively, which are adapted to be engaged by corresponding teeth 25 t on the inner faces of the spaced lugs d d of yoke D. It will be observed that the yoke must be retained in its retracted position by the operating-spring during its entire movement past any one of the external lugs 6; otherwise the teetht on the lug 61 will engage teeth .9 on such lug e and lock the handle against further movement. Furthermore, in order to pass one of the internal lugs c it is necessary that the yoke be moved against the spring by depressing the push-rod b and that the yoke be held in this position until lug d has completely cleared lug 6; otherwise teeth 25 will lock with the teeth 8 on lug e and stop the handle. It is necessary, therefore, that the yoke be held in its retracted position by the spring during its movement past the external lugs e and that it be held in its advanced position against the tension of the spring by depressing the push-rod b while it passes the internal lugs 6. Any attempt to release or actuate the push-rod b before the yoke clears its engaging stop e or 6 will immediately result in the engagement of the ratchet-teeth s and t on s and t and the consequent locking of the 65 handle.

In order to permit an uninterrupted reversal of the controller-handle, theratchetteeth .9 sand i t are beveled or inclined in the direction of motion in reversing, and as V 7 ininish thecurrent-supply the teeth tand t on r r the yoke D snap past the corresponding teeth the handle is swung around to cut off or di- Furthermore, it is adapted to be applied to any standard controller, even when the same is in use, as it is only necessary to remove the old handle, secure the ring in position on the controller, and substitute the modified locking-handle, which is made interchangeable V with the ordinary handle.

Having thus described my invention,whatj I claim is 1. In a controller, an operating-handle, a.

stop mechanism therefor comprising a fixed and a movable member, and cooperating interlocking means on said fixed and movable members, so disposed relatively to each other.

that during the forward movement of the handle said movable member must be advanced to permit one operation of the handle and retracted to permit a succeeding operation thereof.

2. In a controller, an operating-handle, a sliding locking device on said handle, and stops or projections on the controller to engage the lockingdevice in its forward and re:

traoted positions, respectively, whereby said locking device during the forward movement of the handle must be advanced to permit one operation of the handle and retracted for a. succeeding operation.

3. In a controller, an operating-handlga;

sliding locking-yoke on said handle, and a ring on said controller having lugs alternately dis-1, posed on its inner and outer edges to engage said yoke in its advanced and retracted positions, respectively.

4. In a controller, an operating-handle, a sliding and swinging locking-yoke on said handle, detents on said handle to limit the swing of said yoke in one direction, and a ring 7 on said controller having lugs alternately disposed on its inner and outer edges to engage said yoke in its advanced and retracted positions, respectively. 7

5. In a controller, an operating-handle, a

handle, a spring on said yoke to retract and swing the same, detents on said handle to limit the swing of said yoke in one direction, and a ring on said controller having lugs alternately disposed on its inner and outer edges 7 to engage said yoke in its advanced and re- I sliding and swinging locking-yoke on said tracted positions, respectively, said lugs having an incline on one side to swing said yoke during the reverse movement of said handle.

6. In a controller, an operating-handle, a knob on said handle, a push-rod in said knob, a bell-crank engaged by said push-rod, a spring-actuated swinging and slidingyoke engaged by said hell-crank, detents on said handle to limit the swing of said yoke in one direction, and a ring on said controller having lugs to engage said yoke in its advanced and retracted positions,respectively,whereby said handle is looked after its successive advance operations, but is free to move throughout its reverse operations.

7. In a controller, an operating-handle, a sliding locking-yoke on said handle, a ring on said controller having lugs alternately disposed on its inner and outer edges to engage said yoke in its advanced and retracted positions, respectively, and cooperating detents on said yoke and said lugs to lock the handle in intermediate positions.

8. In a controller, an operating-handle, a sliding and swinging locking-yoke on said handle, detents on said handle to limit the on said yoke and said lugs to lock the handle in intermediate positions.

9. In a controller, an operating-handle, a sliding and swinging yoke on said handle, beveled teeth on said yoke, a spring on said yoke to retract and swing the same, detents on said handle to limit the swing of said yoke in one direction, a ring on said controller having lugs alternately disposed on its inner and outer edges to engage said. yoke in its advanced and retracted positions, respectively, said lugs having beveled teeth on their peripheral faces to engage the corresponding teeth on the yoke to lock the handle in intermediate positions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDIVARD A. \V ILDT;

\Vitnesses:

P. T. REILLY, J. B. GOLDEN. 

